FFVII: Lost Angels
by J.K. Hinther
Summary: Shin-Ra has decided to dig up past projects, resulting in an outcome they should have seen coming. Set three years after the events of Advent Children. UPDATED - Chapter 4 Uploaded
1. chapter1sign

Final Fantasy VII Lost Angels

Chapter I . SIGN

[Revised, 9/15/12]

* * *

She tightly shut her eyes.

Slender fingers gripped her curls as her hands cupped her ears, desperate to protect her auditory senses from the verbal assault that amplified tenfold in the large metallic chamber.

The shouting voices blending together, creating one angry sound.

Her fingernails dug into her scalp, the pain was nothing compared to the voices that surrounded her.

They argued over her refusal.

They demanded a tribunal.

She was being sentenced. She heard everything, but wished she couldn't.

The price to pay for insurgence: exile.

She would be cast out. No longer a part of the fold.

But she would stand by her choice. She would not consent. Planets were not play things.

The absence of shouting roused her. Slowly, she dropped her hands, the sound of gold and silver kissing followed her movement.

Her eyes opened and her strange green gaze scanned the chamber.

All eyes were on her. Those eerie sea green and cyan eyes, peering at her. She could see pity, triumph, disgust, disappointment.

She would be cast out, exiled to the world below.

"Do you understand this ruling?" A deep voice called out; her eyes were drawn to the man who stood at the forefront.

He was tall and structured, with silvery white hair that fell to the base of his spine, pulled back in twists and braids, adorned with beads and trinkets to exhibit his status.

His eyes seemed to harbor the most disappointment. And anger.

She pressed her lips in a tight line, nodding her reply.

"You have one last chance before this sentencing is passed, do you renounce your choice?"

She swallowed hard. She could feel the guards standing there, ready to take hold of her with their strong hands, jerk her away and carry her fate.

She could change her mind, and remain with the community… but she knew it was wrong.

She lifted her head and straightened her spine. "No. I do not. I will stand by my decision." She spoke, her voice loud, her tone confident.

He breathed in deeply. More disappointment. His gaze shifted to the two men who stood behind her. "Very well. I wish you well." He motioned with his hand.

She cringed as the fingers wrapped around her arms, pinching her skin in their grip. Her eyes never left _him_.

The patriarch.

There were so many words she wished to speak, out of anger and hurt, but she sealed her lips and kept her head high.

She would accept her fate and force the pain to dissipate. She would not let it fester. She would be at peace with her decision.

She longed for no more pain. No more fear.

But there would always be pain.

There would always be fear.

And it would never end.

* * *

January 10th, 0009

The melancholy piano melody played quietly through the spacious office. The sun had begun to descend below the sky line, leaving an otherworldly vermillion glow on the landscape. The sole occupant of the sparsely decorated space failed to notice the beauty on the other side of the enormous glass pane windows that lined wall behind him. His eyes were cast down; focused.

Sitting behind the large wooden desk files lay open, the contents before him: photograph and reports spread out, blanketing the surface of the desk. A glass of an amber liquid just within reach to his right was all but forgotten; to his left, a sleek black cell phone.

Stills from camera footage, reports and charts: all at his fingertips. He stared down at them, his eyes scanning them over and over as he tapped his finger on the glass; his mind was racing, trying to take it all in. He wrapped his fingers around the glass and swirled the contents before he brought it to his lips, taking a quick but deep drink of the contents. It burned his throat as it went down.

What had he gotten himself into? It all started with… he shook his head, chuckling as he pushed the papers away and set the glass down. He stood and brushed his pale blonde hair away from his sapphire eyes before turning around.

He was tall statured and slender, bit fit. He pushed his hands into his pockets of his crisp white suit as he approached the glass, stopping only inches away.

He peered out over the cliff to the waters below, his eyes taking in the sight before him, but never did it truly register. The beauty of nature was lost on him.

His eyes glazed over as the sun had all but disappeared behind the snow dusted tree line, stealing what little light remained as the river raged tirelessly on its path.

The snaking water inspired him. The project would move forward. Even with the upsets.

So many failures.

So many cover-ups.

_Business as usual._ His mouth turned up in a smirk for a brief moment.

After the explosion in Midgar that nearly claimed his life, the President had escaped to one of many Shin-Ra strongholds south of the city. Safe and far away from prying eyes. Many believed he was dead… and that suited him just fine.

For the time being.

Rufus Shin-Ra had plans. Plans that were best carried out far away from resistance factions such as AVALANCHE, or any others who might oppose the corporation and their practices.

And there were many. Few that held any real power, but there were enough to keep him in hiding.

His thoughts drifted back to the reports that lay abandoned on his desk.

Another one lost. This Project was becoming more difficult than he originally anticipated. _Who knew?_ He smiled inwardly and shook his head.

They would keep trying. There would be success. The project would not drown in a sea of failures and uncertainties.

Losing Hojo was a large blow to the ShinRa Corporation. Even through his madness, Project S was the most successful Science Department endeavor. Never mind the end result.

It had been difficult finding an ample replacement for him when the President decided to reopen the Science division. But he believed he had found the perfect team for the job: Dr. Adele Weiz, a newcomer to Shin-Ra was an excellent addition to the Science Department. She was able and maintained an open mind. He liked that. There was also Dr. Elliot Ellison; he had once been a protégé of Hojo's. He served as an intern and errand boy to the eccentric and often demented Doctor. The young man had potential, and was willing and able to follow any order that was handed to him.

The Space division been revised as well; Dr. Jerald Chamberlin had been appointed the head of that department. He had been with Shin Ra since the days of his father's reign.

Rufus turned toward his desk, moving toward the swiveling chair to sit once more when the sound of an incoming video call shrieked overhead. The shrill sound induced the already looming headache. _Now what? _A frown claimed his lips. Reluctant and releasing a growl, he went to answer. He pressed the enter key to accept the call: the screen before him illuminated and the face of a woman appeared.

There she was. She was attractive with high cheek bones and soft, but angular features. Dr. Weiz: she had ashen brown hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail and striking amber eyes behind her rimless glasses. The dark circles beneath her eyes revealed that she had taken very little time to get a good night's rest. She took her job seriously.

Any other day, he would have appreciated that, but today: he had other things on his mind.

"I recall saying I didn't want to be disturbed. Even by _you_, Dr. Adele." Rufus barked as displeasure marred his chiseled features; he did not care for interruptions.

"I apologize," her tone however, was unapologetic, "But there's something that Dr. Chamberlin felt should be brought to your attention."

"And why isn't Dr. Chamberlin bringing this to my attention himself?" Rufus perked an eyebrow.

A brief expression flickered across her features; she had wondered the very same thing. "He directed me to do it." She replied before glancing down at her keyboard to press a series of keys, shifting the screen to an image from a Shin-Ra satellite in the atmosphere. "This is what he wanted to bring to your attention, President."

As the footage on his screen, it showed something on a collision course with the planet; his interest piqued. The object was something cylindrical and oval shaped; the surface reflecting the space around it.

"An unidentified object entered our orbit at about 12:00 hours." She spoke as the footage showed the object soaring through the sky before crash landing into the earth, creating a large crater. "It entered the atmosphere and fell at 16:00 hours, falling at an immeasurable speed. Just one hour ago." She appeared on the screen again, absent her glasses. "President, it landed not 20 kilometer's east of your present location." She paused, waiting for a reaction, but then went on, "…Did you want to send the Space team to investigate?"

He stared at the screen, gathering his thoughts on the present situation. He was quiet for a short period of time before he straightened up, placing his hands on either side of the computer on his desk. "Yes. But I will be sending the Turks along." He reached inside his coat for his phone, "I want a team I can trust on this."

"Yes, of course sir." Adele nodded and reached to terminate the call, but stopped when he suddenly continued.

"Get your Science team together as well. I'll have Reno fly the chopper to come get you." He looked away from the screen and pressed speed dial on his key pad, the text "Director" scrolled across the small illuminated window on the sleek black piece of technology.

On the screen, the Doctor blinked as she tried to mask her expression of surprise, but then nodded in compliance, "Yes, sir, Mr. President. But, May I ask, why the Science team? I do know your preference is for us to remain inside the lab." She asked cautiously.

Rufus chuckled softly and gave what could be seen as a sinister smile. "I want all of Shin-Ra's best on deck for this." He responded, lifting the phone to his ear. "Now, go." He ordered before tapped his keyboard, ending the video call. The screen faded to black before the Shin-Ra logo screen returned.

A smirk began to etch on his lips. Rufus had no idea what they would find, but he had a feeling it would change the outcome of this dangerous game he played.

* * *

The phone flipped shut as he pulled it away from and set it down. Tseng: the Director of the Turks, Rufus' personal group of errand boys. They were the ones he called on when he needed something taken care of. Wet works, deliveries, networking, pick-ups; you name it. They did it. No questions asked.

At least not in earshot of the President.

Many questions were had amongst themselves. Many theories.

Though viciously loyal, the Turk's had their concerns.

This was no exception.

Tseng leaned forward in his chair, elbows propped up on his desk and fingers woven in front of his face. "Reno," He spoke suddenly, startling the younger man, "That was the President. He has a job for you: apparently a UFO fell to the planet from space, imbedding not too far from this location. The Space and Science department teams being sent to investigate. He's asked specifically for you and Rude to escort them VIA chopper." He informed the irreverently lounging red-head.

Reno pushed himself up to sit straight in the black leather arm chair, his vibrant red hair tousled and a mess, but held at bay by the sunglasses he wore pushed back on his forehead.

"A UFO, huh?" He ran his fingers through his fly away spikes. "This should be interesting, yo." He commented as a huge grin found a home on his face. He drummed his slender fingers on the arms of the chair before pushing himself into a standing position. He pulled his phone out and searched through his contacts, finding Rude's profile. "We're on the way." He waved his phone before turning to exit the room; the sound of the door echoing in the small room as it shut behind him.

* * *

"So, what is it we're looking for?" Reno's voice called loudly over headset's mic, muffled by the whirring of the helicopter blades as they cut through sky, carrying the teams to the sight of the unidentified object.

"You'll know it when you see it, I'm sure." Dr. Adele called back, her voice crackling through the headset.

The doctor held fast to one of the straps along the open doorway, craning her neck out to get a good view of the ground. So far they weren't close. She pulled back inside and looked into the cockpit where the redheaded Turk navigated the chopper, with the quiet one, Rude, at his side. She was uncomfortable with being escorted by President Rufus' errand boys, but she pushed those feelings down and focused on the task at hand.

Suppressing a shiver from the rush of cool air, she looked back into the chopper's bay; select members of the Science Department and Space Department sat with their touch tablets in hand, scanning and setting up files. They were preparing to take footage and notes of whatever is was they might discover. His second in command was there, but not Dr. Chamberlin. His health had prevented him from the excursion, he appointed Adele in charge.

It wasn't every day such an event took place: maybe this strange falling object could prove to be a worthwhile distraction for the President.

The current assignment the President had her department working on was not one she would have chosen for herself.

Too many risks.

Too many possibilities… for dangerous outcomes.

Adele squinted, holding her free hand above her eyes as she spotted something ahead. Peaks of rock jutted out from the earth, forming a circular shape, almost like an inverted dome. Then realization struck her.

She cried out, pointing to the sizable crater in the middle of a mountain area, "There!" Butterflies filled her stomach, excitement claiming her. "Get as close as you can!" She ordered, motioning to Reno as she was unable to pull her eyes away from the discovery.

"We'll do what we can!" The redhead shouted back his response and gave a sideways glance at Rude before rolling his eyes. "Science types." He muttered, covering the mic of his headset. But he still made all effort to get as close to the site as he could. He set the chopper down and she immediately jumped out, the blades still humming above her.

Behind her, a few of the team members followed suit, holding their pads before them, capturing video.

Doctor Adele made her way to the well sized crater, heat still emanating from the fallen object. She pulled off her glasses and dropped them to the ground, stepping closer to the edge of broken earth. When she reached the small jagged peaks formed from impact, she stopped, her eyes growing wide. A sight she never expected was before her. "My God…" She whispered, her hand covering her mouth as she looked down.

"Doctor Ellison," Adele spoke to the doctor who stepped up beside her, his touch pad held before him as his expression matched her own. "Are you getting this?" She whispered; the shock bleeding into her tone as her hand fell to her side.

Her companion swallowed hard, "You bet I am…"

"What is it?" Reno asked, coming up beside the two, but once at the edge, he stumbled to a stop. "Holy shit!" He exclaimed, his blue eyes widening at the sight. He began to fumble around the inside of his coat before finally pulling out his cell phone out of the inner pocket, flipping it open to take a photo of the scene before them. "The President is going to want to see this…" He said as he snapped the photo.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rude: pulling off his sunglasses as he shared the same reaction as his counterpart. "I know." Reno nodded to him, "Not something you see every day, huh?" He commented as he sent the image, flipping his phone shut and returning it to its resting place, tucked inside the lining pocket of his suit coat.

Doctor Adele still couldn't believe her eyes. She wanted to get closer. She _needed_ to get closer. This was the discovery of a lifetime, and it was _hers_. Excitement swelled within her, but she knew her finding would go unheard: Shin-Ra still wasn't in good graces with the planets population. She shook her head; she wouldn't let that stop her. This was the most incredible thing to happen to her.

"I need to get down there. And we need an excavation crew. We're going to have to cut it out of the rock face." She had regained her composure and turned to the two teams. "Let's hurry and get this back to the lab before anyone gets curious." Her gaze shifted upwards to the sky, "The last thing we need is outside involvement."

Reno and Rude exchanged looks. "Should we call in reinforcements?" The red head queried.

Adele turned her attention back to the crater, her mind continuing to race. "If we are unable to complete the excavation by dawn and this gets out, civilians might get curious and anti-Shin-Ra remnants may decide to investigate. Reinforcements may very well be necessary. Go ahead and make the call."

* * *

The chiming of his cellphone interrupted his thoughts.

Rufus pawed around on the coffee table blindly as he relaxed on the sofa, reaching for his phone and flipped the screen open as he brought it to his line of sight. An envelope flashed across the screen, notifying him of the multimedia message he had received from Reno. "What's this…" He murmured quietly as he pressed 'accept'.

A progress bar appeared on the screen, blinking as it filled with a bright green color. The screen went black before the image loaded. His sapphire eyes narrowed as he looked over the media message. He could see the crater where he assumed he had sent the Turks and the teams, but it was too small for the image to be seen clearly.

He pushed himself up off the couch and made his way to the computer. He pulled a data transfer cable out from one of the desk's drawers and proceeded to connect his phone to the tower.

After a few key strokes and clicks with the mouse, the image loaded onto the large screen.

The picture before him left him speechless he began to realize what he was looking at. This was it. A smirk began to etch across his face.

The game really was changing. And the odds would finally be in his favor.

* * *

Final Fantasy VII characters & references, © SquareEnix/SquareSoft. Original plot and characters, Dr. Adele, Dr. Ellison and Monet, © to me, J.K. Hinther, 1997, 2012 & Beyond.

This is a work in progress and also a writing exercise for me, which is why I'm being so obsessive about it. Trying to get my writing skills up to par before I begin working on my original works set in a world I've been developing for over fifteen years. So with this I'm looking for critique! Technical and constructive critiscism. I'm looking for critique on story flow and character development, which I know I have a problem with.

I'm going to try my damndest to keep characters IN character. The characters from FFVII, as well as my own characters. It is rather silly to use my main character from my original works and place her in this world, but it makes sense in my head for a variety of reasons I won't go into on here.

So please, reviews are appriciated! And earn cookies and cupcakes! =^3^=


	2. chapter2horizon

Final Fantasy VII  
Lost Angels

Chapter II . HORIZON

* * *

She spoke to him. He loved the sound of her voice echoing in his mind.

But her words were only remnants.

They whispered of the Promised Land. They were encouraging.

Demanding.

Vengeful.

With this, he could remain strong. His drive for revenge kept him from dissolving into the stream of life he was held captive in. He would not resign to become part of what circled the Planet, becoming part of the system.

_No._ He would not have that.

He yearned to take revenge on the spirit he named his core. What he could hold onto to keep himself from dispersing. What he could hold onto to remain a separate entity.

The Puppet. The one who defeated him, not only once, but twice? Condemning him to the Lifestream.

But he would not relent. He would have his revenge. He would re-emerge into existence, by memory and will.

The Planet would be _his_.

But first: he would need to exact his revenge on the Core.

_I'm still thinking of you. And I'll show you proof of that._

* * *

January 12th, 0009

How could she have slept? She didn't even go home that night. Adele had just stared sleeplessly at the ceiling of her office as she lay on her couch. It was uncomfortable, but that wasn't what had kept her awake all night.

The excitement around the excavation of the UFO had consumed her. It had taken them nearly a day to ensure they carefully extracted what remained of the pod and its contents before transporting it to the Shin-Ra underground laboratories. It was kept in a maximum security chamber; each entrance guarded by Shin-Ra's finest, carrying fully automatic weapons.

Her alarm began ringing, vibrating from her cell phone. A smile crossed her lips as she sat up. She couldn't wait to get back to the lab. She felt like a child, eagerly anticipating her party. Standing at the edge of the couch, she reached up to pull her hair back out of her face, grimacing as her fingers touched the nest of tangles that was once a ponytail. "Damnit…" She muttered and crossed the small office to her computer, leaning forward to glance at herself in the screens reflection.

A mess. That's what she gets for not going home to her own bed, to stare sleeplessly at her own ceiling. She sighed heavily, expelling all the air from her lungs before she took a deep breath, filling them once more. Not only was her hair a complete disaster, but the traces of makeup that remained had smeared, giving her the appearance of a mischievous animal, or her younger sister who often spent her nights some other place than in her own apartment.

It had been awhile since they had spoken. Adele rolled her shoulders back, putting it from her mind. Since accepting her job at Shin-Ra Corp, her family had all but abandoned her. It had been years.

She pulled a black hair tie from a drawer in her desk and pulled her messy ponytail back into an even messier bun.

Fortunately, Shin-Ra provided showers for employees in the lounge. She planned on taking advantage of such amenities today; she had always made sure to keep a change of clothes in her office for occasions such as this. She had learned her lesson after one too many projects involving overtime, or overnights. Adele often joked with Dr. Ellison that they should just move into their offices.

She grabbed the overnight bag she kept beneath her desk and slung it over her shoulder. She glanced about the small space before grabbing her ID badge from the table beside the couch.

It was time to start the day. First with a quick shower, a cup of strong coffee, and the excitement would begin. Her thoughts were pulled once more to what was secured in the lab. A smile broke out on her tired features. _This is going to be one hell of a day._

* * *

Refreshed and coffee in hand, Adele waved her ID card in front of the reader, the door slid open before her, revealing the hallway that led to the high security chamber. Shin-Ra's infantry stood, back to the wall, holding their weapons at the ready. As she stepped through the door, all eyes were on her. _This is in no way unsettling._ She thought, inhaling deeply as she began the walk. "Good Morning." She tried to sound casual as she passed the soldiers.

She couldn't help but silently remark on how young they all were. few seemed barely into their teens. Shin-Ra was really taking them on at such a tender age.

Adele exhaled as she reached the end of the hall, staring at the tall sliding door that was the gateway to the maximum security room. The steam rose from her coffee, dissipating as it rose, reaching for the ceiling.

_Nerves._ She shook her head and chuckled quietly. She held up her badge, waving it before of the reader. A notice flashed on the screen: **Additional Identification Required. **She switched her coffee to her other hand as the screen flashed for her to place her hand on the screen and watched as the computer recognized her palm and fingerprints. It processed and then beeped. Another notice flashed on the screen.

**Dr. Adele Weiz Confirmed. Access Permitted.**

The door hissed and slid open. Adele took a step inside the room, her ears being met with the sound of her colleagues talking over each other. Her heart sank; she had been hoping to be the early bird. She was starting to regret taking the time to take that shower and brew a fresh pot of coffee. A heavy sigh escaped her.

It was chaos. And she knew it would be. This was an unprecedented discovery. Nothing of this caliber had been discovered since JENOVA.

As she stood, trying to collect her bearings, Dr. Ellison rapidly approached her. "Thank God you're here. This has been a complete and total animal house. The President has been asking for you." He spoke, exasperated as he motioned with his hands to the room full of scientists. "He's ordered no one to do anything until you arrived."

"What? _Me_? Why?" She blinked, stunned at his words.

"I think it has something to do with you being the Project Leader. He's been here for the last half hour, asking for you." Ellison turned away from her to peer over the heads in the room. "He's back there," he pointed to the far right corner.

Adele nodded curtly; she took a long drink of her coffee before thrusting the white porcelain mug into Ellison's free hand. "You don't mind holding that, do you?" She inquired, but didn't wait for an answer. She wormed through the massive crowd, making her way to where Rufus Shinra stood, arms folded over his pressed white suit as his fair blonde locks fell before his eyes. On each side of him, Tseng and Elena stood, hands clasped behind their backs in true Turk form.

"You've been asking to see me, Mr. President?" The Doctor put on a faux croon as she adjusted her glasses. She really had no real love for the President, but he was the one who put her on the payroll, and therefore paid her bills.

"I have been. I thought you might have been the first on scene." His tone suggested how annoyed he was that she was late, but he continued, "I'm sure Dr. Ellison has already mentioned as such, but I will tell you anyway: I want you to be Project Leader on this." He cut straight to the point. He wasn't one to really dance around the issue, when it suited him.

"Me?" Adele cocked her head to the side, eyeing him cautiously, "Mr. President, while I'm very elated to be Leader on this find, I must admit: I'm quite curious as to why Dr. Chamberlain wasn't your first choice." She slipped her hands into her lab coat pockets, fiddling nervously with a piece of lint.

Rufus unfolded his arms and unconsciously followed suit by casually sliding his hands into his pants pockets. "Because I feel like you are better suited for a Project of this caliber: you have a more open mind than Dr. Chamberlain. And if things go the way I'm hoping they do, your opinions will matter to me more, than those of a man on the verge of retirement."

_So I'm getting the job because I'm younger._ She fought to keep her eyebrow from rising. His phrasing resulted in a few raised red flags but she kept her thoughts to herself, nodding graciously. "Thank you, Mr. President."

"Now." Rufus pulled his hands out of his pockets and clasped his hands together as if he were about to dig in and get his own hands dirty, but she knew better. "I want you to run every test imaginable on this specimen. DNA analysis, tissue sample, x-ray: anything, everything. I want to know what this is and where it came from."

_And how you can use it._ She couldn't help it. That was the Shin-Ra way: test it, study it, learn everything about it and find out how Shin-Ra can use it to benefit them or if it can be used as a weapon. "You do realize this will take some time. We need to assess to the specimen; we need to be assured that it won't degrade once we remove the protective barrier that the Mages have cast to protect it during the transfer to the lab. It's going to be a gradual process, I'm afraid. We'll be able to do x-ray, but beyond that, physical samples will have to wait until I'm certain we won't just lose it due to exposure." She explained. She could feel her words upset and disappointed him, but he retained his cool exterior.

"Very well. I do want daily updates on your progress. I'll expect reports in hand first thing, every morning." Rufus' tone was short, and the look he gave her only reinforced his order.

"Yes, Sir." She nodded in response, pulling her hands out of her pockets and letting them fall at her sides. She watched as the President then turned his back and retreated from the chamber, his Turk's in tow.

* * *

The pulse of magic pressed against her as muffled sounds surrounded her. So many voices that she couldn't discern; the sound was reminiscent of chattering birds. She felt confined: she was unable to move, speak, see; she could not react to what was transpiring around her. She could only hear and feel. She was helpless.

She felt like screaming; she felt like crying. But her body couldn't respond.

_Where am I? How did I get here? What is this place? _

…_Who am I?_

* * *

Adele sat in front of her computer, tapping away at the keys as she documented the day in her notes. There hadn't been much progress with the project: too much excitement to be had. Arguments erupted after the President had left. Her colleagues were less than with his choice of Project Leader.

They all demanded to know why _she_ was chosen over them. What made her so special?

She couldn't answer them.

How could she?

Could she be able to tell them what Rufus' had told her when he gave her the position? That she simply had a more open mind than her peers?

What about her assumption? That Dr. Chamberlain was simply getting too old and she was his next in line, so naturally, the position went to the younger of the two?

She chose to keep her mouth shut and play dumb. Some were seemingly satisfied. Others were not.

Adele tried to push it from her mind. There were more pressing matters at hand: tomorrow she would begin figuratively dissecting the specimen. She had already ordered the digital scanner to be moved into the chamber so she could perform internal 3-D scans and check vitals without dropping the magic barrier.

She stopped moving. Her hands rested on the desk, fingers poised above the keyboard as she stared at the screen. She began to lose herself in thought: she was witness to nothing short of a miracle. She dropped her head; her hair fell before her eyes like a veil. "What am I doing?" She thought aloud. This thing was a gift… and she would be defiling it with science.

There was no choice in the matter: she would do it, or lose her job.

Possibly her life.

Rufus had a reputation for being ruthless. He was not one to cross while in his employ.

Adele sighed heavily and lifted her head up again. She pushed her hair back and pulled her glasses off. Her vision blurred: her exhaustion was beginning to rear its ugly head. Perhaps tonight she would actually make it to the shuttle to return home. Sleeping in her own bed for the night and drinking her own coffee in the morning sounded too good to pass up.

She rubbed her eyes before replacing her glasses and returned to tapping away on the keys, finishing her entry for the day. Once complete, she saved the document closed it before she logged out of her computer.

* * *

Everything was quiet save for the gentle humming of the magical barrier. Rufus stepped out of the shadows and approached the capsule and what it contained. He stopped just before the barrier; the energy and heat it gave off was mildly uncomfortable, but he wanted to get a good look.

He couldn't help but stare. This was _his _JENOVA. It had fallen from the stars and come to him. He had hope that this would open up every possibility. Every goal he had begun to set for himself. This was the start of a new beginning for Shin-Ra.

He wanted to know _everything_ about this being. What it was. What it could do. How it could help him get back on top. Back in control.

The cell phone inside his coat pocket began to vibrate smoothly. He reached inside and drew it out. _Director Tseng_. He stepped back from the barrier and flipped the phone open. "Yes?" He answered.

"_Sir, there's something on the news I think you ought to see._"

* * *

Adele pushed her arms through her coat before buttoning up the double rows to the top. She hung her lab coat up on the hook behind her office door before unclipping her ID badge. She tucked it safely inside her coat pocket, buttoning up the top as a precaution. She couldn't lose that.

She glanced up at the clock on the wall, ten til 20:00. It was late. The last transport left at a quarter past 20:00. She would need to hurry. She grabbed her shoulder bag, then left the office and made her way down the hallway.

Everything was quiet; office doors were left open and revealed to be empty. She must have been one of the only employees to be left inside. She gripped the front of her coat. Being left alone inside the Shin-Ra lab always left her with a feeling of unease. When she slept in her office, she could at least lock the doors, but wandering the hallways at night was another story. She quickened her step.

Once outside, Adele jogged across the walk toward the shuttle train. She pulled out her punch card as she moved, holding it ready to show the operator.

"Finally going home, Dr. Weiz?" The conductor, a kind looking elderly man inquired as he greeted her with a smile.

Adele smiled, "Yes, sir, I am." She nodded, handing him her card. "No sleeping on a couch tonight. I plan to enjoy the comfort of my own home. That and I'm sure Charles missed me." She chuckled.

"Charles? I thought you were living the single life?"

"Charles is my cat." She laughed.

"Oh, I see." The conductor grinned, "Well, have a seat; I'll get you home to Charles, safe and sound."

"Thanks, Byron." Adele gave his shoulder a squeeze and took her usual seat across from the television screen. Some advertisement for a cool and refreshing beverage played. She paid no attention as she pulled her bag into her lap and pulling the flap up to reach inside. She drew out her data pad and switched it into the on position.

As she began to load the software for her digital book, something caught her attention: a news broadcast had begun.

"_Fire in the sky? That's what it looked a day ago as what appeared to be a meteor fell from the sky and embedded south of the City of Edge. Even though the impact was quite a distance away from the city, many citizens found themselves without power for nearly six hours. _

"_The owner of a local bar, 7__th__ Heaven, closed down her establishment for the night, losing more business than she would have cared to. Tifa Lockheart was just one of the many businesses that suffered due to the blackout. _

"_Law enforcement went to investigate the impact site, finding a large crater and nothing else. They did say it appeared something had been cut from the earth, leaving them all scratching their heads as to what could be on the horizon for Edge and the surrounding cities."_

Adele sighed heavily._ That is most certainly the question at hand… what_ _**is**__ on the horizon?_

* * *

Final Fantasy VII characters & references, © SquareEnix/SquareSoft. Original plot and characters, Dr. Adele, Dr. Ellison and Monet, © to me, J.K. Hinther, 1997, 2012 & Beyond.

This is a work in progress and also a writing exercise for me, which is why I'm being so obsessive about it. Trying to get my writing skills up to par before I begin working on my original works set in a world I've been developing for over fifteen years. So with this I'm looking for critique! Technical and constructive critiscism. I'm looking for critique on story flow and character development, which I know I have a problem with.

I'm going to try my damndest to keep characters IN character. The characters from FFVII, as well as my own characters. It is rather silly to use my main character from my original works and place her in this world, but it makes sense in my head for a variety of reasons I won't go into on here.

So please, reviews are appriciated! And earn cookies and cupcakes! =^3^=


	3. chapter3clandestine

Final Fantasy VII

Chapter III . CLANDESTINE

* * *

May 0009

Nearly five months had passed since she had been appointed project leader, and Adele's colleagues thought she might be on the verge of pulling her hair out in frustration: but it had turned out to be quite the opposite. She was beside herself.

A 3D imaging scan revealed that the specimen was humanoid: female, and alive. But after zero physical response to stimulation, MRI scans showed brain activity, but the specimen appeared to be comatose.

Within a month, the protective barrier had been dropped, and Rufus had ordered tissue and DNA samples and for evaluation to begin. He wanted to know everything that was possible to know about this being, and Adele obliged. She had become obsessed; sleep had become a distant memory. She would spend hours looking over the records and video footage. She would examine the recorded 3D scans, passing up no detail.

Rufus shared her enthusiasm, checking in on Adele regularly to see if she had discovered anything new about the project. They would meet two, sometimes three times a day to discuss her findings.

The genetic makeup was nothing like she had ever seen. While the specimen was humanoid, and shared similar DNA strands to humans, there were additional markers that revealed enhanced abilities: super-human strength, keen senses, speed: the rate of her healing ability after test samples were acquired was astounding.

Adele began to suspect that this ethereal being also held the ability to use magic without the assistance of Materia. But her suspicions would remain just that, until the specimen would wake, all she could do was suspect.

In the meantime, she studied everything she could. Overlooking no small detail in her research.

* * *

The pain was unbearable.

Consistent.

She cried, but the tears never escaped. They were trapped behind her closed eyes.

Her sobs echoed inside, resonating loudly. She was unable to escape.

Would it ever end? She called out to the heavens: to whatever deity was there, begging and praying. But her pleas were unheard.

For months, she could feel needles boring into her skin; knives cutting into her.

Extracting her flesh, her blood; her life.

She was subjugated; held down by invisible chains inside her own mind. Unable to react, to fight back: unable to defend herself.

She was blind and paralyzed, but not deaf.

She could hear their voices. Warbled and distant; speaking a language that seemed familiar, but yet so foreign through her black prison.

_Please… just let it stop…_

* * *

Adele woke up at her desk once more; the computer screen glowing vibrantly, blinding her.

She groaned and swore quietly as she pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes beneath her glasses. She stretched and winced in pain. Sleeping in her computer chair waged war on her back. And her back always lost.

_Coffee_. She thought as she pushed her glasses up, resting them in her hair. Since taking the lead on this Project, she found herself chained to the Shin-Ra building. As elated as she was at the progress they had made, not going home on a regular basis had begun to take its toll on her.

_Coffee. _She repeated as she pushed herself out of her chair. Across the room she could see the blue light blinking on her cell phone. A message.

Voicemail?

Who would be trying to get in touch with her? Everyone she saw on a regular basis worked for Shin-Ra Corp: they never called. They saw her every day.

She made her way across her office and stooped to pick up the phone. She activated the screen and maneuvered to her messages.

A text message, from Rufus?

She gave her phone a funny look.

_Meet me in the observation room._ It read.

She snapped her phone shut and glanced up at the clock on the wall. It wasn't even 5am, the message had been sent only fifteen minutes prior to her waking up. _What is he doing up this early? It must be important..._ She shook her head as she pulled her glasses back down, resting them on the bridge of her nose before smoothing down her hair.

Adele dropped her phone in her pocket and checked for her badge before leaving her office.

* * *

The Shin-Ra Laboratory hallways were barren. Not even infantry monitored the Section 6 hallways anymore. All time and payroll had been forwarded to those who were appointed to monitor the Special Projects Division. Since the alien had been retrieved and brought to the labs, the entirety of three sub-surface levels had been devoted to research and testing related to the specimen.

Adele stepped inside the elevator and swiped her ID card in the reader. "Sub-level 3, please." She recited to the elevator before the doors hissed shut and the pod began to move down the long shaft to the underground levels.

The whirring of the pod in the midst of a controlled fall was almost comforting now, she had heard it so often. She smiled and shook her head. _Oh the things we grow accustomed to._ She chimed in her head as the doors opened, allowing her to step into the Sub-Level 3 walkway.

The space matter that was recovered with it was contained on the Sub-Level 2, while biological testing and research was centered on Sub**-**Level 1.

The specimen itself was kept in the large chamber on Sub-Level 3, under constant watch by Shin-Ra's finest.

Except for that night. Perhaps the President had sent them on break while he met with his Project leader? Something pricked at the back of her neck. She was suddenly apprehensive.

Taking in a deep breath, Adele punched in her key code on the pad before confirming her identity with a palm scan. The door hissed open and the sound of beeping monitors greeted her.

It was strange for the room to be so quiet.

She stepped inside, her hands in her pockets as she made her way to the figure of the President standing before the glass chamber that protected the specimen.

"You messaged?" She stopped beside him, her eyes locking on the same thing he stared at so intensely.

"I did." Rufus nodded. He was quiet for some time, then turned to her as he began, "I think it's time we took this project to the next level." The look in his eyes startled her.

"…What do you mean?" She turned her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. "The next level?"

He again nodded, "Yes." He glanced across the glass chamber at Dr. Ellison who stood, palm against the glass. His eyeglasses reflected the light, making the lenses glow eerily so she could not see his eyes. "Dr. Ellison will be replacing Dr. Chamberlain on this project since he has a vision similar to my own."

"And what vision would that be?" Adele pulled her hands from her pockets before crossing her arms over her stomach. She somehow began to feel threatened. She wasn't certain why.

Elliot walked around, stopping to stand beside the President as he continued. "I have noticed in your reports that you've been tracking the Guest's cycles, and you've taken time to scan and study the reproductive system of our guest." He pushed his hands into his pockets.

This was not good. Something in the back of her mind had always told her not to input those notes into her computer files. "You asked me to learn everything there was to know about the alien. I was simply complying." She tried to make light of it.

Adele was curious as to how her reproductive organs were compared to human females.

The result was startlingly similar.

But she had not anticipated Rufus delving into such research. Unless…

"Yes, you're right. I did, didn't I?" A smirk turned up a single corner of his thin lips. "So, let's discuss moving forward with the next stage of the project. Dr. Ellison, would you care to catch Dr. Weiz up to speed?"

Adele shifted her gaze to her partner.

Well.

He _was_ her partner. She suddenly felt betrayed by him. He had concocted some sort of plan with the President without her knowledge.

"Well?" She couldn't hide her angered impatience.

Elliot offered his cohort a small smile as he reached out for his touch pad that had been set on the observation panel. "You are very aware that the project you were formerly working on was a bust. Eight out of ten volunteer hosts were lost due to incompatibility, meaning no subjects were produced from the experiment."

"And therefore the project was terminated. All projects were when we found this." She nodded to the Guest.

Dr. Ellison looked at the President, then back to her, "Well, not _all_ of them. But yes, that project was suspended." Before she could speak, he went on, "Since you took it upon yourself to track the menses and reproductive cycles of our Guest, the President and I realized that there was a possibility to merge the two projects together."

Horror flashed in her eyes. "You can't be serious." She looked between them, her mouth dropping open. "Even if…" She paused, then shook her head, "No, it's impossible."

"You believe there would be complications?" Rufus raised his eyebrow.

"There is no way to determine the outcome: we could very possibly lose _both_. The specimen has proven to be stable to a degree. If we attempted this, there's no telling what could happen." Adele's voice raised slightly, her disdain for the proposal apparent.

"Dr. Weiz, what we are proposing will cause no risk to the Guest." Elliot looked down at his touch pad, activating his files before bringing up something on the screen. "Look at this." He held it out for her to take.

"What is this?" She demanded, snatching it away and pushing her glasses up on top of her hair as she looked at the chart that glowed on the screen. Her expression softened as her eyes scanned it. "These are… this is…" She looked up and between the two men. "These were confidential files. I didn't even have access to these."

"After viewing some of your results, and conversing with Dr. Elliot on the topic of the failed experiments, I allowed him access into those files to do some comparison and research. As you can see, it paid off."

"I don't believe this." She looked back down at the tablet. Disbelief and disappointment combined together, wrenching her gut. Her hand spread over her mouth as she continued to study the image in her grip.

"So you see. The chance of the experiment failing is very little. There would be a 98.5% chance of success." The President smiled.

She looked up.

She hated that smile.

She wanted to slap it right off his face.

"I really won't have much of a say in this, will I?" She frowned and handed the tablet back to Dr. Ellison.

"You can either assist in the merge, or be pulled from the project entirely." Rufus explained.

She didn't want that. This was _her_ project. She had lost too much over it. Put too many hours into it. She would not lose this. Even if it meant sacrificing her morals.

She knew what they were proposing. And she didn't like it. But if she did refuse to help with project progression, she would be removed entirely from the Guest project, and could very well lose her job.

She didn't have to like it.

"What about the samples? I thought they were depleted?" She folded her arms over her stomach and turned to the glass, staring at the comatose Guest.

"It's true, there are very few samples left…" Elliot sighed and rubbed his forehead, "But I believe if enough care is taken, and the timing is right, we will be successful and it will take."

Adele inhaled, nodding slowly. _I don't really have a choice… I'm sorry…_ She reached out and ran her fingers over the glass wall.

"The next opportunity won't be for another two weeks." She dropped her hand to her side and turned back toward the two. "My personal computer monitors her vitals and cycles automatically." She glanced at Rufus, "I believe you can access my desktop from the master server." She hated that the remote software had been installed on her personal laptop, but as a Shin-Ra employee, she had little say in the matter.

"Perfect. In two weeks' time, we'll be on the road to success!" The President's tone was overly chipper. And confident.

Adele didn't share his confidence.

If he was planning to revisit old projects, she was familiar enough with the results to realize that this wasn't such a grand idea.

But she sealed her lips. All she could do to keep her job was to go along with it.

She would have to be in it for the ride.

And she knew it would be a long and treacherous one at that.

* * *

Final Fantasy VII characters & references, © SquareEnix/SquareSoft. Original plot and characters, Dr. Adele, Dr. Ellison and Monet, © to me, J.K. Hinther, 1997, 2012 & Beyond.

This is a short chapter... not sure how I feel about it. I went over and over it but I feel like it's running in circles. Oi. Just not sure.

I tried to progress the story without revealing too much :/ I don't think I pulled it off. We'll see...

Thanks to my new reviews, fav's and followers! :D yay! Hopefully I'll stay on track with this ^^ I have so much inspiration, but never have time to sit down and do it!

This is a work in progress and also a writing exercise for me, which is why I'm being so obsessive about it. Trying to get my writing skills up to par before I begin working on my original works set in a world I've been developing for over fifteen years. So with this I'm looking for critique! Technical and constructive critiscism. I'm looking for critique on story flow and character development, which I know I have a problem with.

I'm going to try my damndest to keep characters IN character. The characters from FFVII, as well as my own characters. It is rather silly to use my main character from my original works and place her in this world, but it makes sense in my head for a variety of reasons I won't go into on here.

So please, reviews are appriciated! And earn cookies and cupcakes! =^3^=


	4. chapter4genesis

Final Fantasy VII Lost Angels

Chapter IV . GENESIS

* * *

July 03rd 0009

"Once this project has come to full fruition… We will need something to compare DNA to." Rufus informed the Turks as he stared down at the snaking river below.

Bandages wrapped around his wrists and around his neck, hiding the black discoloration that developed on his skin. His health had begun to degrade since the emergence of this strange disease. The ailment had caused him to become even more obsessed with the success of this latest project.

Behind him, the Turks stood at attention, listening and waiting for their orders.

"I want you to go to the Northern Cave. Search the entire area. If it's still there, I want you to bring it back."

"What is it exactly we're looking for?" Reno asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he questioned.

"You'll know it when you see it."

* * *

Something was calling to him. But it wasn't Mother.

Her voice had grown distant. It was replaced by something else.

His will had grown stronger. He had begun to leave his mark on the planets inhabitants, tainting them and degrading them.

The Stigma.

He traveled in the Stream, around the world, spreading his disease, encouraging pain and darkness of heart to grow and thrive.

_Soon. So very soon. I want Cloud to know this is my doing. I want mankind to know this is my doing._

He relished the thought of the darkness consuming all. He longed to witness it overtake the planet. For that, he needed a body.

For that, he needed fragments of JENOVA.

There were words he wished to speak with his own voice. Things he longed to shatter with his own hands.

He had already attempted to manifest on the planet's surface as a spirit, but this had failed. He had surrendered the memories of his own appearance to the Lifestream, so he was unable to produce the image of himself.

But after searching, he found memories of what he deemed to be a suitable appearance, and from it created the form of a boy.

Not long after his dispatched this boy to search the surface for any remaining fragments of Mother, he began to realize being on the surface was much more limiting compared to the freedom and abilities a spirit had.

He created two other entities to aid the first in his task. They were three separate individuals, but at once, him. Each encompassed a part of him. They all were created from the strength and will he possessed.

They both a part of reality and monsters out of time at once.

They would do his bidding, and bring about his return.

_As my servants are looking for Mother, if they come across someone who knows me, then from that spirit I can learn of who I once was. And with Mother's further assistance, I can become fully real. Even if there's something lacking, it doesn't matter. Cloud will make me complete._

_That will be the beginning._

* * *

It had been some time since she had returned home and spent time in Edge. In fact, she was surprised that Rufus had allowed her to leave the lab during such a delicate time.

But she needed a break. She needed to sleep in her own bed and spend some quality time with Charles. He was always a loner, but he did enjoy her company when she managed to make it home.

Adele spent time at the morning markets, indulging in fresh produce and hand made goods. It was at the morning market, where she discovered something unsettling.

Many of the homeless and less fortunate suffered from a horrific virus. Some kind of disease that degraded it's victims and caused black fluids to seep from their eyes, noses, mouths and ears.

She was horrified. Not just at the disease itself, but how those who were not afflicted, pushed away those who were. Young children were left in the streets to die.

_Mankind has truly developed black hearts…_

Adele made an effort to help anyone she could, and while doing so, she obtained samples. She would make sure Rufus ShinRa was aware of what was going on outside of his safe-haven.

The day wore on and found Dr. Weiz sitting outside of a small hole-in-the-wall bistro. The Shack was her favorite place to have a cup of tea.

Steam rose from the white porcelain cup as she wrote in a leather bound book, her eyes focused only on the pages as she scribbled across.

She had learned her lesson. Anything she didn't want Rufus or her colleagues to know about, she now recorded in that note book, and often hid it in a new location each time she put it away.

Adele paused to take a drink of her tea and adjusted her glasses. Behind her, she heard a loud engines roar.

Setting down her tea, she turned to look back over her shoulder in time to see three motorcycles and flashes of silver hair drive by before pulling into a narrow alleyway. She heard the engines die and a few moments later, three men emerged, all with silvery hair and wearing black leather suits.

At first glance, one might dismiss them as a run of the mill motorcycle gang, but she knew something was different about them.

The way they moved. Their presence.

It was ominous.

Familiar.

She continued to watch them as they conversed. What she wouldn't have given to be a fly on the wall next to them. Something wasn't right.

Suddenly, the gaze of the youngest in the group turned to her, locking his unsettling cyan eyes with her amber orbs. Her heart skipped a beat and she averted her eyes immediately.

She closed her book and began to pack her things up when something else distracted her: two black suits rapidly approaching her.

Reno and Rude.

They looked pale.

"Is something wrong?" She spoke before they could open their mouths. Reno nodded curtly.

"We've been ordered to bring you back. Something's happened and Rufus has requested you to be secure inside the lab."

"What happened?

"We can't discuss that in an unsecure location. Just come with us." It was the first time she had heard Rude speak. Something was definitely wrong.

Was it the Guest? Was something wrong with the project? She breathed in sharply and nodded. She finished shoving her belongings into her shoulder bag and threw it over her shoulder. "Let's go."

* * *

April 18th, 0010

_It's finally here._ She swallowed hard.

Security had been tripled since the events that transpired in the real world. Infantry waited by the entry to the operating room, with fully automatic rifles. She tried to not notice.

Even though not quite a year had passed since the events, Rufus still demanded extra security.

Adele focused on her hands as she twisted her hands beneath the water, rubbing them together and lathering the soap. She took a deep breath before rinsing and shutting off the faucet. To her left, Dr. Ellison held out a hand towel.

"Here." He offered a kind smile.

"Thanks." She took it and dried her hands off before tossing it into the laundry bin.

"Are you ready for this?" He raised his eyebrows. She could tell he was nervous.

It wasn't every day they performed operations like this.

She nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be." She pulled her gloves on, then held her hands up and out, careful to not touch anything and contaminate herself.

"Let's go." Dr. Ellison nodded to the man standing on the other side of the glass and the door slid open, allowing them into the circular white room.

* * *

She looked up, meeting eyes with Elliot as he stood across from her at the operating table.

She could tell he was nervous; the bead of sweat on his brow a telltale sign.

Adele could relate.

Her heart was pounding; her blood rushing. She didn't want to do this.

But she had no choice.

The Guest was laid out on the operating table, unrestrained. Helpless. She had no idea what was going to happen to her.

With a deep breath, she glanced at the monitor: the Guest's vitals were stable.

"What time was the spinal anesthetic administered?" She asked, glancing to the wall clock.

12:51pm.

"There was none." The nurse replied, holding her tray out to the doctor; the silver instruments laid out carefully and in order.

"What?" Adele looked at the young woman to her left, the look in her eyes reflected shock.

The nurse shook her head. "Since the patient is comatose and hasn't responded physically to all forms of testing, it was deemed unnecessary to administer any type of anesthetic."

She hated how calm the nurse was. How dull her voice was when she responded. She was cold hearted.

Like a true Shin-Ra drone.

Adele was angry. Did they not notice the flare in the Guest's vital signs when they extracted samples? When they took her blood?

How the MRI scans revealed that shed did feel pain? She reacted to the physical pain, but there was no outward or physical response. It was all on the monitors. Clear as day.

Was she the only one who really paid attention?

She pressed her lips into a fine line and nodded. "Very well, shall we begin?"

On the screen to her right, the heart rate monitor beeped, both of them.

It was steady. Normal.

Until a sudden jump that would last between ten and twenty seconds.

Contractions.

They had become more frequent. And this discomfort of the Guest was apparent.

How could her colleagues _not_ notice this? There was a clear reaction. Did they just not care?

_Way to go, Shin-Ra. You've certainly succeeded in training a new wave of heartless bastards._ She frowned behind her mask and grit her teeth.

"Are we ready to get started?" Rufus' voice came through the overhead speakers.

Adele cringed; she had forgotten that the President would be witness to the extraction of his newest pet project. "We are." She responded curtly as she nodded to the nurse on her right. "Disinfectant." She ordered.

The young man complied and pushed open the gown the patient wore, revealing the stretched skin of the patients abdomen. He cleaned the area thoroughly before taking a step back. His presence was replaced by an intern carrying a tray of surgical equipment.

Dr. Weiz inhaled deeply and looked up at Rufus through the observation glass; he nodded.

She picked up the scalpel and cleared her throat, "Let's begin."

* * *

She could hear the beeping of the monitors. The voices were still so distant; she longed to know what was about to befall her.

Something cold and wet ran over her stomach. She cringed and twisted inside.

They were going to cut into her.

Was there something wrong?

The flutter she had been feeling in her abdomen for some time came back to her mind. Was she home to some sort of parasite? Where they going to remove it?

_Don't worry. It will only hurt for a moment. _

Her heart skipped a beat.

What was that voice? She breathed in deeply.

Through the darkness of her mind, she could see a figure with a light shining behind them. Black feathers rained down, falling at the obscured presences feet.

Something cold and sharp pushed against her and the figure dissolved.

It pierced her skin and something inside of her snapped.

Her eyes shot open as her lips parted and a scream of shock and anguish escaped them, filling the room.

* * *

It was chaos the moment the patient screamed. Adele pulled the scalpel away and staggered back a few steps. "Hold her down!" She cried out, shock shooting through her like a stray bullet.

The screams didn't stop as infantry stormed in and dropped their weapons, rushing to hold down the Guest while the nurses secured her arms and legs down to the table.

"Should we administer a sedative?" One of the nurses questioned as she tightened the leather strap.

Dr. Weiz breathed in and out hard. Was there enough time? The monitors were off the charts; both heart beats increased. It had to happen now.

"There's no time. Hold her as still as possible, we need to get this baby out. Now."

* * *

A strap of leather was placed between her teeth; she accepted it and bit down hard as her body trembled violently. "It will be over soon." A voice told her to her left.

She didn't look. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears escaped from beneath her eyelashes.

She had felt nothing but pain during her subjugation, and she woke up to pain. Was this her life? Pain?

The cutting resumed. She screamed against her leather bit as she balled her hands into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms, ripping her flesh.

She could feel everything. It made her sick. Her stomach turned and she felt like vomiting. She screamed through the gag again, the pain excruciating until everything went quiet.

* * *

"She's fainted." Elliot commented as he reached over to check her pulse.

Adele didn't hear him. She had extracted Shin-Ra's prize: a baby boy.

He wasn't moving.

Her heart stopped.

She turned the child over, cradling it with one arm as she delivered a quick and sharp spank to the child's bottom end.

A cry erupted from the small body; it was shrill and surprised.

Dr. Weiz breathed a sigh of relief before turning the squirming and screaming child over, holding it close before she was able to deliver it to the nurses who wrapped it up in white blankets.

"Congratulations." Rufus' voice called overhead; she turned toward the observation window, disdain in her eyes as she spotted the President, smiling triumphantly.

She turned away and looked back at the patient. Dr. Ellison had already finished the remainder of the operation and removed the placenta before stitching incision closed with small, close knit stitches.

Everything seemed a blur. Now that it was over, Adele could hardly focus on the aftermath.

There was a screaming baby behind her, the Guest unconscious on the table before her. Rufus' triumphant smirk looming above her as blood stained her smock.

She looked down at her hands; more blood. She swallowed hard. _What's next?_

* * *

Final Fantasy VII characters & references, © SquareEnix/SquareSoft. Original plot and characters, Dr. Adele, Dr. Ellison and Monet, © to me, J.K. Hinther, 1997, 2012 & Beyond.

This is a work in progress and also a writing exercise for me, which is why I'm being so obsessive about it. Trying to get my writing skills up to par before I begin working on my original works set in a world I've been developing for over fifteen years. So with this I'm looking for critique! Technical and constructive critiscism. I'm looking for critique on story flow and character development, which I know I have a problem with.

I'm going to try my damndest to keep characters IN character. The characters from FFVII, as well as my own characters. It is rather silly to use my main character from my original works and place her in this world, but it makes sense in my head for a variety of reasons I won't go into on here.

AN: The title GENESIS is not referring to the character Genesis in the FFVII universe, instead used for it's definition: Creation or Beginning.

So I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter either... at parts. I really like writing Sephiroth, but I have a thing for characters like that. I drew on more inspiration from the novella once again, using much of the original source and trying to rework it, but also using exerpts from it too. I am NOT trying to get any gain or credit from using it, it is just a really great inspiration and helps add some useful filler so these chapters aren't totally boring.

I'm hoping that now I'm through all this, things can start to get interesting and chapters may be updated more frequently! 3

I've got quite a few favorites and follows on this story =3 so please, be kind and review! I'm always up for POSITIVE feedback. If something is wrong, just let me know in a positive way so I can correct and learn!

Reviews also earn cookies and cupcakes! =^3^= Please ;_;


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